Goal-Based SIP Calculator
Start from the amount you need and the year you need it. Get the monthly SIP that gets you there.
Reviewed by Ashutosh Joshi, PGDM (Finance) · Updated Oct 2026 · How we calculate
Key highlights
- To reach ₹1 crore in 15 years at an assumed 12% a year, you need a SIP of about ₹19,820 a month.
- Give it 20 years and the SIP falls to about ₹10,009. Give it only 10 years and it jumps to about ₹43,041.
- A goal priced in today’s rupees must be inflated first. ₹50 lakh today is about ₹1.2 crore in 15 years at 6% inflation.
- If the SIP is out of reach, move the deadline or start a step-up SIP before you raise the return assumption.
You need to invest, every month
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Uses the future-value-of-annuity-due formula, compounded monthly, solved for the instalment.
Your path to the goal, year by year
Show year-wise table
What this calculator answers
A normal SIP calculator asks "if I invest X, what do I get?" Most people actually think the other way round: "I need ₹40 lakh for my daughter's engineering degree in 2038. What do I have to put away each month?" That's the question this tool answers. If you'd rather start from what you can invest each month, use the monthly SIP returns calculator instead.
You enter the target amount, the years left, and the return you expect. It returns the monthly SIP. That one number is easier to act on than any projection, because you can compare it straight away with what your salary leaves you after EMIs and rent.
The formula, run backwards
It is the same annuity-due formula used in our other SIP tools, solved for the monthly amount instead of the final value:
P = FV ÷ ( [((1 + r)n − 1) ÷ r] × (1 + r) )FV = target amount · r = annual return ÷ 12 · n = months to goal
Worked example: ₹1 crore in 15 years
Rohit, 32, lives in Noida and wants ₹1 crore by 47. He assumes 12% a year from an equity index fund.
- r = 0.01 a month, n = 180 months
- The growth factor [((1.01)180 − 1) ÷ 0.01] × 1.01 works out to about 504.58
- P = 1,00,00,000 ÷ 504.58 ≈ ₹19,820 a month
Over 15 years he puts in about ₹35.7 lakh. The other ₹64 lakh or so comes from compounding, and only if the 12% holds. If he plans at 10% instead, the SIP rises to about ₹23,928. That gap of ₹4,100 a month is the price of a more cautious assumption, and I think it's usually worth paying. Our calculation methodology explains the assumptions behind every number on this page.
| Target ₹1 crore at 12% | Monthly SIP needed | You invest in total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years | ₹43,041 | ₹51.6 lakh |
| 15 years | ₹19,820 | ₹35.7 lakh |
| 20 years | ₹10,009 | ₹24.0 lakh |
Look at the third column. Starting five years earlier doesn't just lower the SIP; it lowers the total money you need to put in by more than ₹11 lakh.
Goal SIP quick reference: monthly SIP needed at 12%
Bookmark this. Each cell is the monthly SIP needed to reach the target, assuming 12% a year with each instalment invested at the start of the month. Inflate the goal before you read across.
| Target | 10 yrs | 15 yrs | 20 yrs | 25 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₹25.0 L | ₹10,760 | ₹4,955 | ₹2,502 | ₹1,317 |
| ₹50.0 L | ₹21,520 | ₹9,909 | ₹5,004 | ₹2,635 |
| ₹1 crore | ₹43,041 | ₹19,820 | ₹10,009 | ₹5,270 |
| ₹2 crore | ₹86,081 | ₹39,637 | ₹20,017 | ₹10,539 |
Price the goal in future rupees first
This is where most goal plans go wrong. People type in what the goal costs today. A two-year MBA that costs ₹25 lakh now won't cost ₹25 lakh in 2038.
Inflate the goal first: future cost = today's cost × (1 + inflation)years. Using 6% general inflation, ₹50 lakh today becomes about ₹1.2 crore in 15 years, and the SIP for that is around ₹23,750 a month at 12%, not ₹9,900. For education, 8% is the safer figure, because fees have consistently run ahead of CPI. That turns ₹25 lakh today into roughly ₹63 lakh in 12 years, which needs about ₹19,536 a month.
For my own goals I use 6% inflation. It is close to where Indian retail inflation has tended to settle over long periods, and it is high enough that I am not quietly planning for yesterday's prices. Where a goal has a cost that clearly rises faster, such as school or college fees, I would raise the rate for that one goal rather than inflate every target in the plan. If you're saving for a child, our guide to investment options for your child's future covers which products suit which goal.
Already saved something? Count it
Most goals don't start from zero. Money already set aside keeps compounding, so it lowers the SIP you need. Say Rohit already has ₹5 lakh in a flexi-cap fund for his ₹1 crore goal. At 12% over 15 years that ₹5 lakh grows to about ₹30.0 L, leaving roughly ₹70.0 L for the SIP to cover. His monthly figure drops from ₹19,820 to about ₹13,877.
To do this with the calculator above, grow your existing savings first: savings × (1.01)months at 12%. Subtract that from the target, and enter what's left as the target amount.
A one-time amount instead of a SIP
If you have a bonus or an inheritance, the same goal can be funded upfront. At 12% compounded monthly, about ₹16.7 L invested today reaches ₹1 crore in 15 years. Most people don't have that sitting idle, and a lump sum carries more timing risk, which is why the monthly route suits most salaried goals. If part of a goal is short-term or must be guaranteed, park that slice in a fixed deposit or PPF account instead of equity.
When to use it, and its limits
Use it for any goal with a date and a price: retirement corpus, a home down payment, a child's higher education, a wedding, a sabbatical. It works best for goals at least five years away, where equity is a reasonable vehicle.
- Under five years, don't plan with 12%. Equity can be down 20% in the year you need the money. For short goals, plan with 6.5–7.5% and look at an RD or FD instead.
- The return is an average, not a promise. Review the plan every year and adjust the SIP if the corpus is behind.
- Taxes are not deducted. Keep a buffer of 5–8% over the target for LTCG on equity redemptions.
- Existing savings are ignored. If you already have ₹5 lakh set aside for the goal, its future value reduces the SIP you need.
When the number feels impossible
It often does, the first time. You have three honest levers. Push the date out, even by two or three years. Start smaller but raise the SIP 10% a year, the way most people's pay rises. The step-up SIP calculator shows how much that closes the gap. Or trim the goal. The lever I'd avoid is the return assumption. Typing 15% instead of 12% makes the plan look affordable on screen and fall short in real life. And keep the SIP running through bad markets; our analysis of AMFI SIP stoppage data shows how often plans die from a pause, not a bad assumption. For every other planning tool, see the full list of Diving Finance calculators.
Guides worth reading next
Frequently asked questions
How much SIP do I need for ₹1 crore?
At an assumed 12% a year, about ₹43,041 a month for 10 years, ₹19,820 for 15 years, or ₹10,009 for 20 years. At 10% a year, the 15-year figure rises to about ₹23,928.
How do you calculate SIP for a target amount?
Divide the target by the SIP growth factor: P = FV ÷ ([((1 + r)^n − 1) ÷ r] × (1 + r)), where r is the monthly return and n is the number of months.
Should I adjust my goal for inflation?
Yes. Multiply today's cost by (1 + inflation) raised to the number of years. At 6% inflation, ₹50 lakh today is about ₹1.2 crore in 15 years. For education costs, 8% is a safer assumption.
What return should I assume for a goal-based SIP?
10–12% for equity goals more than seven years away, and 6.5–8% for goals under five years, where you should be in debt funds, RDs or FDs rather than equity.
The monthly SIP is more than I can afford. What now?
Extend the deadline, start with what you can and step it up each year, or reduce the goal. Avoid simply assuming a higher return to make the number fit.
Can I use this for retirement planning?
Yes, as a first estimate. Inflate your expected annual expenses to your retirement year, multiply by about 25–30 to get a corpus, and enter that as the target.
What inflation rate should I use for a goal?
For general goals, 6% is a sensible planning rate and it's what I use for my own goals. For education, use 8% or more, because fees have risen faster than CPI. For a goal priced in foreign currency, such as studying abroad, add a margin for the rupee weakening too.
How do I include money I've already saved for the goal?
Grow it to the goal date first: at 12%, ₹5 lakh becomes about ₹29.98 lakh in 15 years. Subtract that from the target and calculate the SIP on the remainder. For a ₹1 crore goal, that cuts the SIP from ₹19,820 to about ₹13,877 a month.
Should I invest a lump sum or a SIP for a goal?
If you have the money, a lump sum invested early usually ends higher, because all of it compounds for longer. But it carries more timing risk, and most people don't have the full amount upfront. For salaried goals, a SIP, ideally with a yearly step-up, is the practical route.
Results are estimates based on the inputs you enter and the formulas shown above. They are not guaranteed returns, an offer, or personal investment, tax or loan advice. Rates quoted were checked on 20 Oct 2026 and can change; confirm with the bank, fund house or India Post before you act. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.